Many of us are fortunate enough that we can replace certain items in our life that are broken, run-down, old, or not used too often. Simple examples are clothes, groceries, kitchen supplies, car parts, electronics, or even gym equipment. It’s simple to be able to replace something old with something new nowadays because there’s always something “newer” out there in the world. However, the one thing we can’t just replace or “get a new one of” is our bodies. We get one in our lifetime, and we too often take that for granted or don’t realize that our bodies need constant care and attention until it is too late. Our bodies are special and should be treated as such by ensuring that we receive an adequate amount of exercise or movement, fueling it with a healthy variety of whole foods, carbs, proteins, and healthy fats to ensure an efficient energy output every day. When we don’t do these things, it can lead to serious issues and health complications that can be detrimental to our bodies.
Inadequate physical activity may seem like a minor issue compared to other diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. However, many of those major conditions can be minimized by the simple task of good physical activity and a proper diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third (36.5%) of the U.S. adult population is obese (CDC). The major diseases mentioned above are all related to obesity. Unfortunately, many other underlying issues are associated with obesity, such as increased body fat percentage, increased insulin levels, and hypertension. So, a simple way of minimizing these potential risks is to get out and move. The recommended amount of exercise by the CDC is 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise and two days of strength training per week. If we break that down, that is 30 minutes. Every five days, with two of those days being strength-training days. It may seem like a tall task for those with kids, busy work schedules, caretakers, etc. However, it can be a simple 10/15 minutes to start. Give yourself movement goals each week to hit and build from there, and I promise your body will thank you down the road. A gentle reminder to everyone is to treat your body with love and care and give it the proper attention it needs and deserves. That’s the only way to treat something irreplaceable.
About the Author:
Jonathon Pereira is a native of the Bay Area, Jonathon aka J.P. received his bachelor’s degree from California State University Northridge in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science. After graduating from Northridge, he lived in Arizona for 3 years where he was working as an Exercise Physiologist. His work focused on diagnostic testing and evaluations for professional MMA fighters, population health management, and compromised health patients. Jonathon was also the lead exercise physiologist of a clinical study that evaluated cognitive and quality of life (QOL) improvements in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease through a personalized mitochondrial food plan diet and cellular repair therapy. In his spare time, he referees junior high and high school basketball, plays basketball, travels, and spends time with his family.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska
Sources:
Adult Obesity Facts. (2016, September 01). Retrieved May 14, 2017, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Bushman, B. A., & Battista, R. (2014). ACSM’s resources for the personal trainer.
